LSU's defense slowed down UF and may have cost the Gators a lot more Sunday.
The Tigers (13-9, 6-4 Southeastern Conference), who have the best scoring defense in the SEC and allow fewer than 53 points per game, held No. 9 UF to a season-low point total and gave the Gators (22-4, 8-3 SEC) their second consecutive loss by a 66-47 score in Baton Rouge.
LSU also put a damper on UF's SEC regular-season title hopes. The Gators now trail Auburn by two games and Vanderbilt by one with three to play.
"We play in the best league in the country, and you've got to come on someone else's home floor not with your best game, but the best game that you've played all year," UF coach Amanda Butler said. "Especially when you've had a little success and the target on your back's a little bit bigger. And we're just not understanding that."
Sunday marked the first time this season UF has lost back-to-back games.
The Tigers held the Gators to just 32 percent shooting, forced 20 turnovers and recorded 14 steals.
UF, which came up 14 points short of its previous lowest season output, was averaging nearly 76 points per game before the trip to Baton Rouge.
The Gators were 1 of 12 shooting from 3-point range, and Steffi Sorensen's streak of consecutive games with a three ended at 20.
Even when UF wasn't being defended - on free throws - it struggled to convert. The Gators went just 12 of 22 from the charity stripe.
"You know there's going to be nights when you don't hit threes," Butler said. "That's something that you accept. But the free-throw line is not guarded, and the free-throw line is an area where we've excelled. It just shows mental weakness."
UF started the game shooting 1 of 12 and trailed 16-2 at the 10:38 mark.
Despite going 0 for 6 from downtown in the first half and shooting just 24 percent from the field, UF only trailed by 11 at halftime.
The Gators got within 8 on three separate occasions in the second half but could never close the gap any further.
UF could not stop LSU guard Allison Hightower, who torched the Gators with 21 points, many of which came off steals and fast-breaks she started.
Marshae Dotson allowed UF to hang around in the second half, adding 15 points and 10 rebounds, but the Gators got little production elsewhere.
"Our post players really let us down in the first half because I felt like we got good looks and just really didn't play with any toughness at all," Butler said.
UF fell victim to its toughest stretch of the season, going 1-2 against Tennessee, LSU and Vanderbilt.
For Butler, it's obvious what the reason is for their poor play.
"Not a tough performance in any regard," Butler said. "We're not playing tough in any aspect of the game, inside-out, mentally or physically.
"When the other team exceeds your toughness level, then you've got a problem."
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
